When Arkansas experiences the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, the moon will pass between the Sun and the Earth, creating a 117.9-mile wide shadow which will enter the southwest tip of Arkansas near De Queen at 1:46 in the afternoon and will move along a northeasterly path until it exits the state near Pocahontas at approximately 2. The period of darkness for any particular location in its path will be just over four minutes.The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) predicts many tourists are expected in the Natural State, likely making this the largest tourism event in Arkansas history. They have created a Traffic Management Plan (TMP) to help public officials and other agencies prepare and manage the expected increase of traffic leading up to, during and after the Eclipse.
ARDOT used data from states in the path of the 2017 total solar eclipse and state park reservation data for the upcoming eclipse to develop its traffic management plan. The plan includes traffic forecasting data, traffic reduction strategies, and traffic flow enhancements. The traffic reduction strategies include working from home, school closings, and working with trucking companies to reduce or redirect freight traffic.
Some highlights from the ARDOT traffic plan and response includes:
Up to 1.5 million people are expected to travel from outside the state, along with 500,000 Arkansans who will travel from their residences to the path of totality, for a total of two million people who will visit the viewing area.
ARDOT assumed all visitors would travel in motor vehicles and an average of 2.862 passengers would travel in each vehicle. This would result in the influx of approximately 700,000 extra vehicle trips into the path of totality.
ARDOT will coordinate with other agencies and officials at the state, county, and local levels before, during, and after the eclipse to ensure consistent messaging and communication is provided to citizens and visitors.
ARDOT plans to work with the Arkansas Trucking Association to encourage truckers to adjust their travel schedule so they are not trapped on the roadways with Eclipse-related traffic.
Data from the 2017 eclipses showed that approximately 30% of the sightseers arrived on the day of the event, and up to 80% left immediately after sunlight returned. That pattern is expected for the 2024 eclipse.
According to NASA, the next total solar eclipse to travel across the contiguous U.S. will be on Aug. 23, 2044.
The full Traffic Management Plan can be viewed here.
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